lessons learned

Is your house really YOUR house? Your land YOUR land? Your things YOUR things?

These are some questions I have been thinking about the last few weeks as we wait "to get our OWN house". See right now we live in a home that "isn't ours". Praise God for this house for sure! But it is quite different than living in your own home with your own things. God has used this time for me to check my heart, and then double check it constantly. Where is my heart most the time? Well as mother/wife who stays at home, my HOME is a very important part of my life. I confess that it can and has become too important to me, as I have learned about myself over the last month. I LOVE being at home! I love keeping my home the way I like it and cooking and cleaning and all that goes into it. (weird I guess that sounds) But I do. So, not having my own home the last month has been really strange and such a blessing for me all at once. God has reminded me in a BIG way that this world isn't our home, and that I should be living life over the sun. That my contentment and happiness in this life dosent stem from having a house and having it the way I want it, etc. The Lord is the One who fills me, who SHOULD BE my "home", my comfort, and the One that causes me great joy, not a house. Nothing we have here in this life is really ours anyways. It all belongs to the Lord.

My pastor growing up, Brother David Rice, once said in one of his sermons that he wanted this jeep. And that he would pass by this jeep for sale every day and ask the Lord to give it to him. Then one day God spoke to his heart and said, "David, when you want me as much as you want that jeep, then I'll give it to you."

I desire to desire Christ more than I desire anything else in life! I have found, however, deep in my heart that I have been wanting a house of our own more. This I must repent of! Praise God for showing me my sin and helping me see what needs to change! Sin is anything that replaces God, and how dare I replace Him, my Creator and all-satisfying Savior, with a measly ole house that will rust and rot and never fulfill me at all. He is everlasting and the joy and fullness He gives never ends.

I do ask that you continue to pray for us as we are about to have a new baby and do not know when our Clovis house will sell or if we'll be in a house of our own before she comes. PLease pray we will trust the Lord in whatever circumstance we face and be thankful. Pray that the Clovis house will sell soon according to God's perfect will. Pray He will continue to teach us great things during this time of uncertainty.

23 months

Griffin is 23 months old today. This is the last time I will ever say his age in months. After kids turn two, you just say they are two, two 1/2, etc. I think. It sounds weird saying 32 months or something. So, yes, he will soon turn the big T-W-O. 1 month to go. I am planning a cowboy/horse/western theme birthday party for him. I am eager to send out the invitations I got that are so, so adorable. I love kids birthday invitations, not sure why. You can just find such cute ones nowadays.

At 23 months Griffin is:

-saying all kinds of words and can repeat whatever word you say pretty much. We are looking forward to him putting more words together soon.

-running everywhere, or skipping, then throwing a clap in there somewhere. (his jolly jog)

-loves people. He is so social, and people love him back. :)

-sits down and reads his books out loud like the most scholarly gentlemen. He points at all the things in the book that he knows and says all the words he knows. Its very funny and sweet.

-loves animals, especially dogs. Our pastor and his family have a golden retriever, named Desmond (they are LOST fans) that G has bonded with since they live next door to us.

-loves water, to play in it that is. He already has a tan and its not even summer yet!

-loves both sets of his grandparents and says their names randomly quite often. I guess wondering where they are. I always tell him where they are and that they are coming to see him soon.

-still a great eater most the time. He loves frozen blueberries and any fruit, but always dosent mind it when I let him have a piece of candy or popsicle. He'll eat carrots and beans and is liking peanut butter more and more now. Drinks lots of whole milk.

Tyler just said, "FInally the day has come when I don't have to remember Griffin's age in months. I don't like that system."

Goodnight!